Premiere Pro V7 - new user silly question

I am trying to get to grips with this (Version 7), playing at work and agreed to do a set of visulas for a friends DJ gig.

I dont need sound, just want to get videos in place and play with how the go in and out of each other. Nothign amazing needed for now.

I cannot figure out and cannot find relevent help on how to get video into a sequance or able to edit it.

Firstly i seem to have too many files that are not compatable, giving me - Unsupported compression in file.

When i do get a file that comes in when i insert it it goes onto an Audio layer, not a video layer. It is recognised as both in the Project window.

1. How do i import files that are suposidly have "Unsupported compression in file" is there a way to change them? There must be a reason for these not coming in? Are thier settings to import as orignal content or somethign similare?

2. How do i get files that do get recognised onto a video layer and not audio layer?

I have got the help book (300+ pages) but not even finding this any help. I am hoping i might be just experiencing new user stupidity.

What's the extension of the files you are trying to import and were did it come from? Did you capture directly from a camera or has it been converted in any way?

The extension is .avi but i have also had trouble with .mpeg (only one) The files have come form the internet fomr sources of people sharing thier talents, clips range from a few mins to 10's of mins.

These are already on my PC I dont have any means of plugging in anything, i need to do it just on the PC with no external source.

If i have to I am happy to convert the files to a more reliable format that i can then insert in, i will need to find or see if we have anything. I am not sure what the office actually uses this for and the one user we have is away on extended leave.

I will be seeing if i can get standard .vob files in soon as well. Any further tips welcome.

Cheers.....Q

Last edited by QfanatiQ; 02-27-2007 at 07:27 AM.
Reason: more info added

If you are using AVI files that you have downloaded from the Internet the chances are that you have a varied mix of different avi flavours, including differences in resolution, bitrate, compression codec and frame rate.

In short, a real patchwork of material.

I have tried editing this sort of material in Premiere before, and I can tell you - Premiere doesn't like it. I've found Premiere to be quite fussy at times. It adores full resolution DV AVI files, but hates 'Internet stuff'.

On the other hand, Windows Movie Maker seems to cope OK with it all. In my experience, if the file can play in Media Player, it can be edited in Movie Maker.

You do not have to do the full edit in Movie Maker.

Try importing the clips in a basic sequence, then exporting it in DV AVI format, without any further editing.

Although large (DV AVI files are), the resulting file will be much easier to edit once you have imported it into Premiere.

PS - If you are getting 'unsupported compression' messages it may be that the avis are compressed using codecs that you do not have installed on your PC, such as Divx or Xvid. Check that they play in Media Player first.

If you are using AVI files that you have downloaded from the Internet the chances are that you have a varied mix of different avi flavours, including differences in resolution, bitrate, compression codec and frame rate.

In short, a real patchwork of material.

I have tried editing this sort of material in Premiere before, and I can tell you - Premiere doesn't like it. I've found Premiere to be quite fussy at times. It adores full resolution DV AVI files, but hates 'Internet stuff'.

On the other hand, Windows Movie Maker seems to cope OK with it all. In my experience, if the file can play in Media Player, it can be edited in Movie Maker.

You do not have to do the full edit in Movie Maker.

Try importing the clips in a basic sequence, then exporting it in DV AVI format, without any further editing.

Although large (DV AVI files are), the resulting file will be much easier to edit once you have imported it into Premiere.

PS - If you are getting 'unsupported compression' messages it may be that the avis are compressed using codecs that you do not have installed on your PC, such as Divx or Xvid. Check that they play in Media Player first.

Wow, a nice amount of info there.

I have started looking into this Movie Maker now. I would not know if the .avi's play in media player as i use VLC player. But on that note (just in case for the future) I will try them and then get the codecs that are needed (if indeed there are any available)

Thank you for your information, you have given me something to work with.